Town’s hopes of staying in the Premier League suffered a significant blow after they were defeated 2-1 at Portman Road by rock-bottom Southampton, the Saints’ first away league win this season and only their second in the league. Joe Aribo gave the visitors the lead against the run of play in the 21st minute but Liam Delap levelled for the Blues 10 minutes later with his ninth of the season. Town had a number of chances to go in front but were unable to take them and were made to pay three minutes from time when Paul Onuachu stabbed home a rebound.

The Blues made four changes from the team which lost 4-1 at Liverpool last week with Aro Muric, Jens Cajuste and Nathan Broadhead returning to the XI and Julio Enciso making his full debut.

Muric took over in goal from Christian Walton, who suffered a groin injury at Anfield last week having started the last five matches, with Cieran Slicker the sub keeper.

Cajuste came back into central midfield alongside skipper Sam Morsy, who was making his 150th start for the club, with Kalvin Phillips on the bench.

Ensico, who came off the bench at Liverpool last week and whose corner led to Jacob Greaves’s late goal, was in the centre of the three behind Liam Delap with Omari Hutchinson on the right and Nathan Broadhead on the left.

Ben Johnson and Jaden Philogene were among the subs having started last week, while Wes Burns is out for the season having suffered an ACL injury.

Southampton gave debuts to January signings Welington, a Brazilian left-back, and Danish international midfielder Albert Gronbaek, while England keeper Aaron Ramsdale was back in goal with ex-Blues loanee Alex McCarthy dropping to the bench.

Another former loanee, James Bree, started for the Saints, but there was no place for Flynn Downes in the squad. Jack Stephens, Tyler Dibling and Kamaldeen Sulemana were all on the bench after returning from injury.

The Blues started on the front foot with Enciso and Delap both involved and on five the Paraguayan international won a corner on the left with a shot which deflected wide. The on-loan Brighton man took the flag-kick himself, Dara O’Shea heading back from deep but Saints keeper Ramsdale claimed the looping ball.

Town continued to see all the ball with the visitors struggling to get out of their half, Taylor Harwood-Bellis passing twice passing straight out of play under no pressure.

On 10, the busy Enciso shot low to Ramsdale’s left after winning the ball back not far outside the area but the keeper was able to save with little fanfare.

The Blues had maintained their dominance and Southampton had shown virtually nothing as an attacking force but on 21 the visitors went in front.

Kyle Walker-Peters was given space on the right and played a ball ahead for Mateus Fernandes. Greaves’s heel diverted Fernandes’s cross to Joe Aribo on the penalty spot and the Nigeria international hit a shot towards goal which Muric bundled into the net with his right hand. That the keeper felt he should have done better was clear from his reaction.

Town set about getting back on terms, Hutchinson making a burst towards the area before being felled by Harwood-Bellis only for referee Michael Oliver to wave away the protests, much to the annoyance of the home support.

On 24, Hutchinson sent over a ball from the right, Broadhead nodded down and Delap hooked the ball only just over.

As the game approached the half hour, Enciso broke past a number of Southampton players before feeding Leif Davis, whose cross clearly struck Walker-Peters on an outstretched arm. Referee Oliver again irked the Town fans by waving away protests and VAR evidently agreed with him.

But the Blues support didn’t have to wait too much longer for an equaliser. In the 31st minute, Broadhead dug out a pass on halfway, Delap’s pace saw him beat Saints skipper Jan Bednarek to the ball and through one-on-one with Ramsdale, who he confidently beat to his left.

Delap’s ninth goal for the Blues lifted the roof off a previously nervous and frustrated Portman Road, but was well deserved on the balance of the game.

Two minutes after levelling, Town should have gone in front. Delap sent Broadhead away towards the left and the Wales international took it on into the area before attempting to chip Ramsdale, who saved with his chest. The loose ball fell back to Broadhead at a tight angle but he was unable to make anything of the second opportunity.

Southampton created a chance in the 36th minute, Welington crossing and 6ft 7in tall striker Onuachu nodded straight at Muric, who claimed.

Four minutes later, there was a huge cheer from the Town support after referee Oliver showed the game’s first yellow card to Welington for a foul on Axel Tuanzebe not far outside the area, a number of earlier caution-worthy challenges from Saints players having gone unpunished.

Enciso took the free-kick and sent a low effort past the wall to the right but into the side-netting.

On 44, Cajuste did well to clear the danger with Fernandes threatening to find a way through the Town backline.

A minute later, Morsy sent Hutchinson away on the right, the former Chelsea man cutting in but shooting straight at Ramsdale.

Two minutes into three additional minutes, the Blues should have taken the lead. Hutchinson crossed from the right, the ball reached Broadhead, who took too many touches before hitting a shot which was blocked. A first-time strike would probably have seen the Wales international, who was only eight yards out, celebrating his first Premier League goal.

That was the last action of a half which the Blues had controlled throughout aside from a couple of Southampton attacks.

Town had started positively, with the enthusiastic Enciso causing the visitors plenty of problems, although without creating any serious chances, before the Saints scored via their first attack, a goal which the Blues defence and keeper Muric won’t want to watch back.

As has so often been the case under Kieran McKenna’s management, going behind didn’t appear to impact Town too much and it took only 10 minutes for the equaliser, created well by Broadhead and finished confidently by Delap.

From there, the Broadhead had had two chances to put his side in front but perhaps showed his lack of recent goals with his finishes.

The visitors made a change ahead of the second half, Harwood-Bellis, who had looked out of sorts throughout the first period and had picked up a knock towards the end, making way for club captain Stephens, returning to the team for the first time since December 4th.

In the 53rd minute, Delap was blocked off by Bednarek inside the box, the Town striker claiming a penalty but referee Oliver showing no interest.

The former Manchester City man was still down in the area holding his face as play continued with the Blues still in possession. Eventually, with Delap now on his feet, Hutchinson played a pass across the edge of the area to Davis, who laid back to Cajuste, but the Swedish international’s shot flew well over.

Visitors’ half-time sub Stephens lasted only 11 minutes, taking his leave on 56 having picked up a niggle and Will Smallbone taking over.

Just before the hour, Enciso went close to putting Town in front. Greaves nodded Cajuste’s long throw from the left back from the near post and Delap stabbed it out to the Paraguayan, whose effort wafted just past the angle of post and bar.

Southampton subsequently had a spell on the ball, Bree shooting wide from the edge off Davis.

From the corner, the ball found Aribo in space but the midfielder sent the ball well wide, the ball almost falling for a teammate on the byline to the left before the danger was cleared.

The Blues broke immediately through Ensico and Hutchinson, the latter crossing for Broadhead but the Wales international couldn’t get it under control and the ball bounced through to Ramsdale. That was Broadhead’s last involvement with Philogene taking over.

In the 65th minute, Delap brought the ball in from the left before mis-hitting a shot well wide. Five minutes later, the visitors swapped debutant Gronbaek for Sulemana.

On 71, Delap muscled his way around the outside of Bednarek before shooting from a tight angle when there were options in the middle and Ramsdale saved.

Moments later, Cajuste was sent flying in the middle 10 yards outside the area. Morsy took a quick free-kick, Bednarek clattered into Delap as the Town striker turned, but the Blues kept playing and Enciso’s shot failed to trouble Ramsdale.

Bednarek was eventually booked in the 74th minute for hauling over Delap five yards outside the area. Davis’s free-kick struck the top of the wall.

Town were by now completely dominant, Davis crossing from the left and then Philogene from the right with the Blues encamped in the Saints half.

The Blues swapped Cajuste, again one of Town’s key men, for Jack Taylor, before there was a hold-up in play as Ramsdale was treated.

Soon after, Sulemana made a pacy run into the area on the left but Tuanzebe kept up with him and forced him off the ball.

Welington underwent treatment and eventually made way for Yukinari Sugawara with Lesley Ugochukwu also coming off and Adam Lallana, who played for the Saints U18s in the 2005 FA Youth Cup final at Portman Road as the Blues won the trophy, took over.

Town’s impetus had been halted by all the stoppages and they were struggling to put attacks together and in the 87th minute the Saints went back in front.

Aribo fed Sulimana down the left, the sub cutting in and hitting a low shot which Muric saved down to his right. However, the Kosovan keeper could only palm it out and Onuachu beat Greaves to the loose ball and stabbed into the net to send the away fans to his left into raptures.

Town swapped Enciso and Davis for George Hirst and Jack Clarke for the final three scheduled minutes plus eight in additional time.

The Blues huffed and puffed in the closing minutes but without creating a significant opportunity and it was the visitors’ fans cheering at the whistle and muted boos from the Town supporters.

A big blow for the Blues as they battle relegation with the games against those around them towards the bottom of the division matches which it is far more important to win than those against the likes of Liverpool and Manchester City, who beat them in previous weeks.

Town will rue missing opportunities in the first half, the otherwise excellent Broadhead having two chances that he probably would have taken in his pomp in the last two seasons, while Enciso and Delap may feel they should have done better with second half opportunities, although Ramsdale wasn’t as tested as he should have been after the break.

Enciso, Hutchinson and Philogene after he came on caused problems with their running with the ball but all too often kept hold of it too long when they might have moved it on to teammates.

Southampton, whose last away win was at Leeds in the Championship in May and whose manager Ivan Juric is celebrating his first Premier League win, had one real chance in each half and scored from both of them with questions regarding the returning Muric on each of them, although Town never looked entirely comfortable at the back.

The result makes little difference to the Blues’ position as it stands, Leicester having lost 4-0 at Everton and Wolves in action at Villa later this evening, but losing to Southampton, who remain seven points behind second-bottom Town is a big blow both in terms of failing to take points and also psychologically.

Town: Muric, Tuanzebe, O’Shea, Greaves, Davis (J Clarke 87), Morsy (c), Cajuste (Taylor 77), Hutchinson, Enciso (Hirst 87), Broadhead (Philogene 64), Delap. Unused: Slicker, Johnson, Godfrey, Townsend, Phillips.

Southampton: Ramsdale, Walker-Peters, Harwood-Bellis (Stephens 46 (Smallbone 56)), Aribo, Bree, Fernandes, Ugochukwu (Lallana 82), Gronbaek (Sulemana 70), Onuachu, Welington (Sugawara 82), Bednarek (c). Unused: McCarthy, Armstrong, Dibling, Bella-Kotchap. Referee: Michael Oliver (Ashington). VAR: Jarred Gillett. Att: 29,902 (Southampton: 2,961).

Photo: Reuters

dirtydingusmagee added 23:02 - Feb 1 have a good look at the fixtures of the bottom clubs,,,,,,,,,scary isnt it ! without a fight we will need miracles in the form of some very strange results now I would not rule out finishing bottom, ............anyone know if Leicester could still get points deduction ?
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RegencyBlue added 23:12 - Feb 1 We are an honest, hard working team but we just aren’t good enough, it’s as simple as that! We don’t create enough chances, we don’t score enough goals from the chances we do create and we give soft goals away. There’s only one way that ends. We are done!
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PSGBlue added 23:13 - Feb 1 Southampton will avoid being the worst Premier League team in history by beating Derby’s points tally of 11. They should have been the worst team in history, but luckily for them, we have gifted them four points this season! It’s one thing being beaten 6-0 and 4-1 by the best in the country, but to lose 2-1 against a team we know and should have beaten, sticks in the throat somewhat!

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alfromcol added 23:13 - Feb 1 Lots of new names on here, since the dark days and descent into Division 1, that was when you really had something to moan about - but you probably weren't there. Enjoy the journey, we will be in the Premiership until at least the end of the season. Matches still to come against Newcastle, Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham etc. etc. Instead of Fleetwood, Accrington Stanley, Forest Green Rovers etc. May as well try to enjoy it, many worse things in life to endure.

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Dozzells_Bobblehat added 23:18 - Feb 1 RobsonWark - I've told you before, your opinion is yours, you're entitled to it but it's not fact . If someone disagrees with you it doesn't mean they know nothing about football. It just makes you look childish.
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alfromcol added 23:19 - Feb 1 LeeJames99 spot on post. Need a few more like you, rather than the absolute dross being posted by some. I like most on here are gutted after the game, but need to manage the highs and lows as we live our lives.
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Bert added 23:37 - Feb 1 Thank goodness that the couple of hundred posters on here are not representative of the thousands of supporters who are able to balance their disappointment and sadness with maturity. This forum appears to have been taken over by a few for their own selfish amusement and a desire to be abusive. Ipswich Town fans should be better than this and thank goodness that the vast majority are sensible, balanced and reflective.

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bluebullet29l added 23:39 - Feb 1 Managers have been sacked for a lot less....
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armchaircritic59 added 23:47 - Feb 1 This may not get read, being so far down the posting order, but I'll try and find a few facts rather than opinions to start with. Have we regressed since the first half of the season? Lets look at the results at teams we've played twice so far. Liverpool at home, lost by 2. Liverpool away, lost by 3, maybe not forwards or backwards? Man City away, lost by 3. Man City at home, lost by 6, clearly backwards. Fulham at home a draw, Fulham away, a draw, not forwards or backwards. Brighton away a draw. Brighton at home, lost by 2. Backwards. Southampton away, a draw. Southampton at home, lost by 1. Backwards. I'd say the actual facts of the results point to regression. Now I'll try 2 or 3 opinions, not facts. In my view, too much changing around of the central defence over recent games, it looked more solid with Woolfenden in it, apart from the wobble against Brighton. With Woolfenden in it, a very good backs to the wall display at Arsenal, a clean sheet here against Chelsea, the 2 penalties and only goals conceded against Fulham, had nothing to do with the central defence, with Woolfenden in it. Just the Brighton display could you point any fingers at the central defence, and certainly not him alone. Then we remove him, concede 6 at home, 4 away, and another 2 at home against a team that looks likely to prove one of the worst seen at this level. Yes I do realise the level of the opposition in 2 of those games. Just stating facts again there. Again just opinions coming up. I don't think either of our senior keepers are good enough at this level. The midfield is slow and ponderous and has little drive or creativity. Too many of the players are lightweight at this level and are too easily muscled off the ball. Nothing much seems to come from out wide the further we go into the season. I'll try to find a plus point or two! Delap is obviously a stand out, though even he can sometimes try and hang on to the ball too long, but when you often lack help, it's sometimes excusable. I thought Cajuste was going to be a real plus point a few games ago, I think with his skill set, he'd be better employed a bit further up the pitch then he is of late, and he really needs to get himself 100% fit. Enciso shows some class but also needs to release the ball sooner sometimes, though it might be a case of a new boy trying too hard to impress. To end, I said before the season started, I was worried everything might just have happened too quickly, and that I'd regard finishing 17th as a triumph and KM's greatest achievement so far. Offer me that now, I'll bite your hand off!

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FrankMarshall added 02:59 - Feb 2 Those calling for KM to be sacked. Seriously? Back to back promotions and (if anything) victims of our success this season (we got promoted too quickly). Ideally we should have had 2/3 more years to build a team capable of competing in the bottom six. One misfiring transfer since he's been here. I'm hoping KM will be here fighting for promotion from the Championship next season.

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tractorboybig added 07:21 - Feb 2 REALITY we are the worst team in this league, we have a manager out of his depth and a transfer policy since promotion that has been a complete failure. lets hope we dont do a Luton next season thats the danger.
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Ipswichbusiness added 08:04 - Feb 2 Leejames99 when you say that “it is just common sense” you are conceding that you do not know what is in the contracts so you should shut up about them. As we have seen with buyout clauses and the rest, contracts can have some unusual clauses. I doubt if you understand negotiation.
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wiltshire_blue added 08:05 - Feb 2 I was relatively happy with the business that we did in the summer, aside from muric. Watched him at Burnley and he made mistake after mistake.The amount of clangers that muric makes is embarrassing. Can we be sure that he isn’t involved in match fixing?
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tractorboybig added 08:13 - Feb 2 wiltshire blue other than delap and may be oshea the transfers have been a joke
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philpott2 added 08:37 - Feb 2 First half we were by far the better team, created a number of opportunities but with just the one goal to show for it....either hit the effort straight at the keeper, or and it was mostly, not even getting a shot away. Saints scored with their first effort (couldn't see how it got beyond/past/thru Muric as was behind a pillar). Second half we just seemed to be going through the motions, some decent attacks but generally fizzled out with some half-hearted token gesture crosses or the std pass back & sideways until Saints got everyone back. It's frustrating to watch. Thought O'Shea handled the big fella really well in the first half, whilst Greaves was probably the better of the two in the second half. Cajuste very good, Hutchison probably had his best game in terms of helping out the defence, however he falls over too easily and loses the ball far too often now. Morsy.....it's so rare for a pass to go forwards from him to create an attack, it's back, short, sideways, back, and his std drop of the shoulder and turn in slow motion is so predictable. I am not Phillips greatest fan but would prefer to see him in preference, maybe even Taylor & Cajuste so as to give us something slightly more dynamic and threatening. We must be the least dangerous team in the league in terms of moving the ball forward through the middle of the park....and by some margin. Axel definitely our best right sided defender. Thought Townsend did really well in the second half last week and I'd like to see him given a go at left back. Give Leif a rest, as he's not really strong in defence or adding to the attack at the moment. Philogene is very lightweight...and he likes Jack Clarke look and play very similarly. Promise much but nothing comes of it with losing possession the normal outcome. Broadhead today tried hard but had that glorious opportunity to put us ahead in the first half. Enciso was desperate to do good things and as good as he was, he lost possession too often, through himself on the floor too often for me and didn't strike the shots (many) very well at all....oh....and he clearly does not have a left foot. That was a very frustrating watch. I was convinced there was going to be a lot of goals, both teams knowing that the only way they would win was by scoring some, but it was like watching a mid table championship match and too very average sides.

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armadaleblue added 08:38 - Feb 2 We couldn’t spend to buy and pay the salaries of an experienced premier league team. As a result we did the best we could and bought talented young players. There is a vast gap between u21 internationals and full internationals, but we had a 5 year plan and if we can keep them they will be a lot stronger in 2 seasons. Muric clearly hasn’t worked, he doesn’t give confidence to the defence or supporters, I hope we can get cover before the transfer window closes, but realistically after Wolves win we need to plan for next season.

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Keanos_Barmy added 08:52 - Feb 2 When Paul Hurst came into the job we were in the Championship and he brought in the best League 1 players to do a job, we ended up in League 1. I fear that now we're in the Premier League and have brought in the best Championship players we're going to end up in the Championship.
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atty added 08:59 - Feb 2 Good points - Delaps goal. Cajuste part time performance. Ensiso debut.Broadhead. That’s it. Observation- Philogene, a late sub, going down with cramp! Bad points. Muric obviously. Morsy slowing up.No cohesion. Were has the spirit gone.
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johnwarksshorts added 09:12 - Feb 2 In my humble opinion we switched the forward line around too much with our subs. We were doing OK with Broadhead. For me Philigene offered nothing.
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atty added 09:14 - Feb 2 PS KMcK’s needs to forget normal training, pick an 11 and play practice matches against the rest. Not full tilt but just to build relationships. The only one yesterday was a Davis and Broadhead. Put Delapin the team that beat Huddersfield in the last game last season and it would have beaten the team that played yesterday.
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Leejames99 added 09:20 - Feb 2 @ipswichbusiness I have to respond as your so funny. You contradicted yourself again, if I've conceded I've not seen the contracts (which I never said I had) and have to 'shut up' as you politely put it then how come you know about 'buy out clauses' and what player from Ipswich had a buy out clause? If you think as an example Phillogene, that the club would buy him for 20 million plus on good wages from what he got at Hull and chase him so long that with only half a season to go we would allow a clause to say they can toddle off if we go down then I'm glad you not in charge of the Ipswich business considering you call yourself ipswich business. If you mean that Ipswich Town and player have agreed a transfer for figure to activate a sale then that maybe possible but it will be vastly higher than 20 million because that's good business Ipswich business. Delap even more as Man City will get a cut. So that concludes our business, Ipswich business and if you dont agree with my posts or opinions and cant reply with constructive, polite responses then please mind your business o my thoughts on Ipswich Town business as my thoughts are my business - Ipswich business, your so funny you could have a career in show business - Ipswich business and with that business concluded. Your welcome!

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ArnieM added 09:32 - Feb 2 Just a question here re Muric. Have the Town fans “ got on his back”? I can’t recall any booing of him directly during a game… no jeering comments when he’s made a save, or catch. So when have Town fans got on his back exactly?
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dirtydingusmagee added 09:43 - Feb 2 Philpot 2 i admire your bravery just getting behind a piller many now peep from behind the sofa lol
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Carberry added 09:47 - Feb 2 I'm sure other people noticed, before the kick off Muric was having help putting his gloves on in front of the dug outs by one of our staff. Presumably he has been taught how to put gloves on by now and this was some sort of excuse for a last minute pep talk from the side lines. It meant he missed the first group chat with the team and eventually got there for the second. However, none of the players engage with him and he doesn't talk to them. What's going on? If his confidence is so low, if others won't have anything to do with him and vice versa, he shouldn't be in the team, regardless of his lack of ability.

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planetblue_2011 added 09:51 - Feb 2 We need to learn to cheat like every team I’ve seen at Portman rd this season. Rolling around play acting, time wasting. It works!! then they have their 2nd shot on target & score the winner. Southampton weren’t even in the game no threat what so ever & we lost. They were so poor, says a lot about us. Shambles…. Don’t get me started on Muric
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